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| Texas Terrs Targeting Mackinac Bridge | |||||
| 2006-08-14 | |||||
| CARO, Mich. — Three Texas men were arraigned Saturday on terrorism-related charges after police found about 1,000 cell phones in their minivan, and prosecutors say they believe the men were targeting a bridge connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas. "All we did is buy the phones to sell and make money," Louai Abdelhamied Othman told the magistrate. He said authorities had previously stopped the group in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. "We've been checked by the FBI before," he said. "They even gave us their card and everything."
What's wrong with the Golden Gate Bridge? It would be a much bigger headline and you would have a much better chance of beating the rap.
Adham and Louai Othman are brothers and are in their early 20s. Muhareb, 18, is their cousin. All are being held at the Tuscola County Jail, Caro police said. Muhareb told the magistrate: "This is a misunderstanding." He said he was selling the phones to earn money to help pay for his brother's college education.
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| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #38 Here's my take - the guys may have thought they were buying the phones for semi-legit business purposes. I think they were bought to be used as one-time throw away phones for operational cells here in the US. These guys are on to the fact we can do amazing things regarding tracking cell phone calls and locations. The idea they were shipping them verseas is really bogus. You can't swnng a dead cat in the third world without hitting a guy selling "used" (stolen) phones - trust me on that one. |
| Posted by: Bangkok Billy 2006-08-14 23:14 |
| #37 Scuse ME, but isn't Dearborn, Michigan the Muslim Capital of America? AND wouldn't a target close to such a nest be a great hit and run target. Hit it and run back into the nest? |
| Posted by: Spavigum Glinens9851 2006-08-14 23:03 |
| #36 We could tell, by statistics, based on where a cellphone was sold (serial number) what probable ethnic group the person making the call was from, in places like Israel and the PAL Authority. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-08-14 20:12 |
| #35 btw - as Ace of Spades notes - they're supposedly selling the phones, stripped of batteries, Sim cards and charger for MORE than an intact phone costs retail. Tell me more stories about how they're so valuable overseas Hmmm... sell phones with key components (charger, SIM card, battery) removed for more money than they cost retail. Sounds like a hell of a business model to me. 1) Buy at retail, not wholesale, or even discounted, prices. 2) Strip out phones of key components usually thought necessary for ordinary use of the phones. 3) Travel to terrorist-friendly Michigan and sell these phones for a greater mark-up than retail. 4) Profit. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-08-14 18:26 |
| #34 And, of course, Grinesing Croluper6420 = Zenster |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-14 18:00 |
| #33 If GWB will not be able to justify a nuclear strike politically within the next 6 months, the Israeli PM will have to collect his cochones together and give the instructions. See below: Remember, it does not have to be nuclear to be effective. Lots and lots of Daisy Cutters and such will do the trick. Thank you for being the voice of reason, tw. The only way that nuclear weapons should be introduced into the equation is if there has been a substantial NBC (Nuclear, Biological or Chemical) attack on United States soil. Once that gate is passed then all bets are off. Until that time, the United States has a moral and ethical obligation to avoid first use of nuclear weapons. We have JDAMs and MOABs aplenty and they will do the job just fine. A number of fuel air bombs set off near the ventilator apparatus of an underground bunker will literally pump the facility's air supply down to near-space vacuum. Staggered bombing sweeps allowing for evacuation of underground sites will catch emerging survivors and any doors left open will assist in a second round of pressure reduction. As always, I will cite Mrs. Davis's plan which makes a whole lot of sense; Simply inform all of the rogue regimes that a single NBC attack on American soil will result in ALL of the Islamic majority and terrorist sponsoring nations being glassed and Windexed. No last minute promises of realignment or pleas for pity will be permitted. Glass, smoking glowing glass and lots of it. |
| Posted by: Grinesing Croluper6420 2006-08-14 17:56 |
| #32 Anon4021, fire up Photoshop and do up some rebuttals with these quotes: One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Sir Winston Churchill An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile - hoping it will eat him last. Sir Winston Churchill The price of greatness is responsibility. Sir Winston Churchill |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2006-08-14 17:41 |
| #31 they're actually very non-judgmental Ima looking but my bridge collection hasn't been transfered to this computer yet. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-08-14 17:35 |
| #30 Stop calling them Texans. They may have lived in Texas, but they ARE NOT TEXANS. Ever. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-08-14 16:47 |
| #29 "Is there another concentration in Big D?" They're here like flies on crap! Mostly Pakistanis, they hide themselves amongst our sizable Indian population. I think there is going to be open season on them before too long. The muzzies that is. Got no beef with the Indians. No pun intended. |
| Posted by: Claimp Shens5396 2006-08-14 14:06 |
| #28 This seems to be a very basic question, but one that needs answerin': IF (and that's a big if, in my book) they were really doing this to just make money, why do it so far away from home? By that, I mean, with the cost of gas and all, why do it in Michigan when you live in Texas? Not enough "market share" in Dallas? PSHAW! Something's rotten in Denmark and the story (if true) of them having plans of the bridge itself is enough to throw the "making money" theory out the window. |
| Posted by: BA 2006-08-14 14:06 |
| #27 What's wrong with the Golden Gate Bridge? It would be a much bigger headline and you would have a much better chance of beating the rap. Why donÂ’t sharks eat lawyers - Professional Courtesy. |
| Posted by: Hupasing Crath3963 2006-08-14 13:12 |
| #26 "That, they can get a conviction on no matter what else happens. " I don't think so. Most likely, there will be a plea bargain resulting in community service. Community service which results in 1-year Mackinac Bridge maintenance, priceless. |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2006-08-14 12:53 |
| #25 An attack on the Mackinac Bridge seems pretty far-fetched, but the accumulation of cell phones points to some nefarious Islamic project, such as raising money to send to terrorist groups. I hope the Michigan prosecutors will at least charge the suspects with conspiracy to evade sales/use taxes. That, they can get a conviction on no matter what else happens. |
| Posted by: Ulelet Uniting8249 2006-08-14 11:59 |
| #24 You know what's sad... that I saw this pic go up on another forum wrt this discussion. http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2224/goeringhi4.jpg And people agreed with it. I fear that the West doesn't want to defend herself. :( I fear that we may be left with what Roger L. Simon wrote as the "horrible conclusion." |
| Posted by: Anon4021 2006-08-14 11:41 |
| #23 Oh, yes. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-08-14 11:25 |
| #22 We had two separate groups of these F**kwits doing exactly the same thing. The group in Ohio had already removed the control chips out of the phones and thrown the remainder into separate boxes. Both gave cops the same lame excuse of reselling for $5 more. What a coincidence. These asswipes need a Cuban vacation until we find out who organized this and what endgame they were playing. The fact that one group had several photos of Mackinac bridge may suggest something here, especially since the Michigan enclave is based nearby. Is there another concentration in Big D? |
| Posted by: SOP35/Rat 2006-08-14 11:07 |
| #21 I s'pect Michigan has more to worry about from Ohio State than these bozos. |
| Posted by: badanov 2006-08-14 10:39 |
| #20 And New Yorkers were all bent because HS $ were being diverted to other areas. These rural areas in the Heartland have been ignored yet that is where they seem to be operating rather freely. I'm surprised the Egyptian students and the cell phone buyers were caught at all. |
| Posted by: Danielle 2006-08-14 10:31 |
| #19 Word is they were taking / had taken a lot of detailed photos of the bridge, apparently. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-08-14 10:26 |
| #18 I would like to know how the police linked linked these guys to a Mackinac Bridge terrorist attack. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-08-14 10:18 |
| #17 Cell phones in the US are subsidized by rate plans. Many places overseas, one pays full price for the phones. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-08-14 10:15 |
| #16 btw - Capt. Ed points out that you do NOT make money selling phones, purchased at RETAIL prices, and selling to legitimate customers. Wholesale, maybe, but their story is BS |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-08-14 10:09 |
| #15 Bridges: Why do they hate us? they're actually very non-judgmental |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-08-14 09:43 |
| #14 Bridges: Why do they hate us? |
| Posted by: mcsegeek1 2006-08-14 08:51 |
| #13 Neither the American or Israelis will attack the Iranians. Get used to a nuclear Iran and prepare your family for civil defense. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-08-14 08:13 |
| #12 Remember, it does not have to be nuclear to be effective. Lots and lots of Daisy Cutters and such will do the trick. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-08-14 08:06 |
| #11 I think one of those muzzie goat chasers will lite the fuze on a nuke long before we do. Surprised it has not happened already. They are just itchin to fire one off..... at the Joooooos of course. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-08-14 07:59 |
| #10 SN 3550, Either a US president will or Israel will. It's all a question of timing. If GWB will not be able to justify a nuclear strike politically within the next 6 months, the Israeli PM will have to collect his cochones together and give the instructions. If both dont have the guts to do this, the west has lost WWIII. |
| Posted by: Elder of Zion 2006-08-14 07:56 |
| #9 RD: I have a strong feeling that the President is going to do the right thing. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were only the first 2 chapters; that book is not finished. The question is: will a US President write Chapter 3? |
| Posted by: Snease Shaiting3550 2006-08-14 02:22 |
| #8 The islamic cancer that is eating up Europe has now send metastatic cells to prepare the ground for the infection of America. If Americans do not wake up NOW and realize what they are facing, the slow but steady demise of America is guaranteed. It will take 25 years but it will happen (with a little help of American MSM, Noam Chomsky and the lunatic and rabid Berkley academics). Destroying the local terrorist cells will not help. What is needed is a crucial devastating blow to the two heads of the Islamic snake Saudi Arabia and Iran. You Americans must boldly face the two originating sources of the Islamic megalomaniac Chalifat wishing fanatics and destroy them and their poisonous influence once and for all. You are already deep within WWIII without having realized it. I hope the free spirit of Texans will guide you to take the right action at the right time. |
| Posted by: Elder of Zion 2006-08-14 02:07 |
| #7 Texas Terrorists Targeting Mackinac Bridge What's wrong with the Golden Gate Bridge? It would be a much bigger headline and you would have a much better chance of beating the rap. jeeze think of all the wadded SF panties in bunch, there'd be the mother of all seething spectacles focusing their HATE at Bush! :-) bring it.. |
| Posted by: RD 2006-08-14 01:40 |
| #6 Also, if only the three told the cops, "The illegals in Texas pay us $5 more for these 1,000 phones!" they would have just gotten a speeding ticket. |
| Posted by: Spavigum Glinens9851 2006-08-14 01:21 |
| #5 Being from Texas, I cannot understand how we could have screwed up training these terrorists. I mean, there are a lot of bridges that connect to Mexico that should be blown. Oh, I forgot, the illegals can swim. |
| Posted by: Spavigum Glinens9851 2006-08-14 01:18 |
| #4 SS 3550 Things have to change, fast. Yes they do! If things are not turned around quickly we and the rest of the world are in for a lot of trouble. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2006-08-14 01:13 |
| #3 Jackal, I spent a few years in your home state and, based on what I recall, the Othmans may be severely underestimating the firepower contained in the closets and gun cabinets in those parts. |
| Posted by: JAB 2006-08-14 01:08 |
| #2 We have had 5 years of this crap, after they gave us the pretext (9-11) of the millenium. And CAIR keeps telling us both that the perps are non representative of the "religion of peace," and that we have to ensure these terrorists get their Korans and halal foods. And now Ahmadinejad looks at America, like the cat who is about to eat the canary. Things have to change, fast. |
| Posted by: Snease Shaiting3550 2006-08-14 01:06 |
| #1 Grrrrr. Now they're messing with My home state. Perhaps they picked it precisely because it is less obvious and less likely to be protected. Though it's no longer the longest in the world (probably not in the top 10 any more), it would still be a terrible loss, especially in the summer with all the vacationers and their children. Oh, and we always spelled it "Mackinaw" for the city and the bridge. "Mackinac" was reserved for the island. Of course, that doesn't mean we were correct in doing so. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2006-08-14 00:23 |